Easy Christmas Crafts for Homeschoolers

One of the benefits of homeschooling is all the time left over after schooling is finished. This allows time to explore and let creativity run free. Christmas is the perfect holiday to make crafts together while getting school credit at the same time. Some are fairly easy and inexpensive to make for kids of all ages, with or without help from adults or older siblings.

Baking soda ornament

In a saucepan, combine 2 cups of baking soda with 1 cup of cornstarch and 1 1/4 cups of water. Stir constantly over medium heat until it looks like mashed potatoes. This process will take approximately 12 minutes. When finished, turn out onto a plate and cover with a damp cloth. When it cools, pat it and roll it out until it’s 1/4 inch thick. Use Christmas cookie cutters to cut out the desired shapes. Allow to dry overnight, then decorate with paints, markers, glitter or anything else the child would like to use.

Christmas bells

Using two Styrofoam cups, allow the children to decorate using material around the house such as paints, markers, crayons, sequins, glitter or beads. Using a pencil, make a hole in the bottom of the cups. String one piece of yarn through both cups, one on each end of the string. Leave approximately two inches of yarn in each cup. Make a knot so the cup will not slip off the string. At the end of the string inside the cup, tie a jingle bell so that it is loose and moves around the cup. Hang the string connecting the two cups anywhere in the house.

Handprint ornaments

Using red and green felt, trace the child’s handprint (or allow her to do it) and cut out. Place the green felt on top of the red, matching up the thumbs. Place a piece of string between the two pieces of felt. Place glue all over one piece of felt and the string, and glue together. Allow to dry before decorating and hanging. Another option would be to glue a photo onto the handprints instead of decorating them.

Rudolph candy canes

For this craft, you will need candy canes, brown chenille stems, red pompoms and wiggly eyes. Cut the chenille stems in half. Wrap one around the curved part of the candy cane and twist. Spread out to make it look like antlers. Below the antlers on the candy cane, glue a wiggly eye on each side. Glue a red pompom on the tip of the candy cane to make Rudolph’s nose.

Homemade table cloth

A piece of butcher paper large enough to cover the dining table is desired. Take cookie cutters and draw the shapes onto the butcher paper covering as much as desired. The entire piece could be covered or only the border. Allow children to color each shape, making a festive table cloth for Christmas dinner. White sheets could be used in place of the butcher paper if the children choose to use paints, instead. This could be put away and reused instead of throwing out the butcher paper version.

Countdown to Christmas rings

Take green and red construction paper. Cut out strips of each, one for each day from December 1 until Christmas Day or to cover the amount of time desired to countdown. This could be started the day after Thanksgiving, if desired, or it could last until January 6 (Epiphany). Once the correct amount of strips have been cut, make and attach rings, alternating colors. These can be glued, taped or stapled together, whichever is easier for the children. Each day, have the child remove one ring, counting down until Christmas Day. As an alternative, each ring could have a word written on it that pertains to Christmas. When the child removes a ring, give a lesson about the word written on it.

There are endless possibilities when it comes to Christmas crafts for homeschooling families. Finding quick and inexpensive crafts keeps the children occupied, provides family bonding time and helps get everyone in the Christmas spirit. With a few supplies, memories can be made that will last for many years.